The Call
by Heart of the Matter
Summary: It started out as a feeling, which then grew into a hope; which then turned into a quiet thought, which then turned into a quiet word. And then that word grew louder and louder, 'til it was a battle cry. I'll come back when you call me...


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**Disclaimer - These are not my characters. I just like to play around with them.**

**A/N -This story has been inspired by a song, that I recently heard while I was watching The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The Call by Regina Spector. Italics is the lyrics**

**The Call**

They both lay on their sides, her head resting on his arm, his other encircling her waist, while she snuggled into his chest. They shared each other's warmth, nestling in the safety of each other's embrace, content with what they had, afraid of what they could lose. Both were awake, oblivious to one another, until she shed delicate drops of tears, staining his chest; her small fingers, which had lain gently on his arm, now gripping his shoulder as she tried to steady herself.

_It started out as a feeling, which then grew into a hope._

Their love had been enigmatic; all-encompassing. It was soft, and slow, both never pushing the limits that they thought the other had set, both fearing to lose what they wanted to have more than life itself. It had been hungry and passionate too, many times leaving them aching to cross the hostile waters that led them to each other.

_Which then turned into a quiet thought, which then turned into a quiet word._

They had stayed away, longer than both could handle, for not just fear of each other but also of the world, and their family, and their friends; with every passing moment, falling deeper and deeper in love.

_And then that word grew louder and louder, 'til it was a battle cry._

When she had lost him, the pain of it had destroyed her. And how it changed her brought into everyone's sight how much the two had loved each other. What did they feel; anger, sorrow… pity? Maybe resentment at first but who could not see how they were destined to be together? They all felt the brunt of their mistakes, of how their obvious reaction had kept two lovers apart, and the biggest price to pay for that was the loss of two friends with one death. They killed two birds with one stone, unaware of its consequences.

Then one day, she had heard something, someone and it had given her a purpose in life. She spent months, years, learning, collecting and preparing. Days and nights, every moment that she could manage to stay awake, had been filled with a hope.

_I'll come back, when you call me. No need to say goodbye._

They would be reunited.

She would call him back.

Sucked out of his limbo, he had found her, collapsed, dead-like and he knew what she had done. He had studied it extensively in the past; the ultimate way to test their love. But it was dangerous, a ritual which required her to share her qi, her life force, with him. She had used it first to call to him, extend an arm to him, no matter where he was, and he had grabbed onto it, letting her pull him back to reality; to life. That connection, one they shared on a cosmic level, had brought them in tune with each other's thoughts and feelings. When they had healed from that day, it was evident.

They were inseparable.

Sirius brushed her hair away from her face and looked down at her as she tried to stop the tears, but sobbed escaped her nonetheless. Her face glowed with a vulnerability that made him ache inside. It made him want to hold her this way forever and keep her out of harms away, but it was almost time.

"Hey, hey, what's this?" He wiped her tears away, "What're you crying for?"

At this she shook her head, unable to say anything, afraid that opening her mouth would result in more sobs and less words coming out.

"'Mione, love, there's no reason to cry."

_Just because everything's changing doesn't mean it's never been this way before._

"I don't want you to go to this thing," her shaky voice was muffled by his chest.

Sirius shifted back a little and then tipped her chin up so that she faced him. He took a deep breath to steady himself. At times like this, he just wanted to hold onto her and shed his own tears.

"Honey, there's no reason to cry. It's no big deal. I'll be back before you know it okay?" He spoke in soft voice, trying hard to calm her down.

"No big deal?" her voice was thick with emotion, "You've allied with centaurs, giants, werewolves and god knows how many other creatures. You've got a cavalry on the thestrals and double those men on foot. I've read the files! This is a war! A war which I have to sit and make bloody tactics for and so I'm not allowed on the field!"

_All you can do's try to know who your friends are, as you head off to the war._

All Sirius could do was to hold her in place so that she didn't stand up and go into hysterics like when he had broken the news to her. This was the last of the deatheaters, men and women who believed that Voldemort had been brought back before and could be brought back again; ignoring the fact that all his horcruxes had been destroyed. The handful had travelled around the world and gathered as many more supporters as they could, forming something only a little short of a small army, but they were well-trained and unafraid to kill.

_Pick a star on the dark horizon and follow the light._

This thought had scared him at the time and it scared him now, which is why when the Minister was electing a team for tactical management, Sirius had mentioned Hermione, secretly of course, lest she kill him for doing so. Forgetting for a moment that she could always sense his strong emotions, a pathway which allowed her to read his immediate thoughts, he let his fear for her life overtake him, only to be snapped out of his reverie by a strong impact on his chest, and the feeling of cool air rushing around him.

He stood up too late, as Hermione ran into the washroom and slammed the door behind her. Smacking his hands onto his face, he realized what an idiot he was. He walked up to the door and tried to open it, but she had locked in securely.

_I'll come back when you call me. No need to say goodbye._

"Hermione, please come out and let me explain." No reply.

"Hermione, love, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry honey, please…" But she didn't come out or reply. He knew better than to keep her away from him. He knew how much it hurt her. But for selfish reasons, he had kept her out of the actual war. He'd messed up.

Standing by the front door, Sirius dropped his bag on the floor and looked up at the staircase. He had to leave without seeing her. She wouldn't come down.

_Now we're back to the beginning. It's just a feeling and no one knows yet._

He turned around and took a deep breath, knowing that he had to do this. He reached for the door when he heard footsteps and swiveled around, only to have himself pushed back and slapped across the face.

"Okay I deserved that."

"What the hell do you think? You can get me stuck with a desk job while you're going off to war like a bloody hero and then just leave?" She smacked his chest with her fist and then smacked it again, and again, "I hate you! How could you just go without even seeing me, without even saying goodbye?"

Sirius looked at her with eyes full of passion, and, grabbing her wrists, he turned her around and pinned her to the door. He dipped down and touched her lips with his own. She wanted to lean against him and deepen the kiss but she wanted to make him understand how much she despised what he had done.

" I hate-" but he swooped in and cut her off with another kiss, his mouth claiming hers hotly this time; and Hermione couldn't argue any longer: she opened to him. They tongues met, sucking and stroking - pulling her deeper under the tidal wave of desire cresting inside her body. He let go of her arms and she put it around his neck, his own hands wrapping around her waist and pulling her body flush against his. They finally broke apart, panting, foreheads pressed together.

_But just because they can't feel it too doesn't mean that you have to forget._

"I love you."

"I hate this. Screw you."

"You wish," he retorted with a wicked grin.

She chuckled lightly, even as the tears rose to her eyes again. She really didn't want him to leave.

Sirius placed his hands on the sides of her face and placed a chaste kiss on her lips, "Please don't. You're breaking me."

They stared at each other, silent, wanting to stop this moment, just freeze in time, but a patronus from Harry, asking Sirius to hurry over, brought it to an end.

Sirius opened the door and turned to lift his bags as she watched, glassy eyed, "Goodbye."

_Let your memories grow stronger and stronger, 'til they're before your eyes._

He pulled her to him once again, "Hey, I'll come back whenever you call me. No need to say goodbye."

Then pressing an urgent kiss to her lips one last time, he picked up his bags, turned around and apparated away.

_You'll come back when it's over… No need to say goodbye._

**You know what's sweeter than the dessert (sizzling chocolate brownies with rich vanilla London Dairy icecream and Hershey's chocolate fudge sauce) that I had today? Your reviews!**


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